100 years young and still driving

TODAY is a special day for past Murwillumbah resident "Joe" Andrew Edward Joseph Kelly.

On this day, one century ago, he was born.

He lived in Murwillumbah for a time before his family packed up and moved to Sydney.

Although he and his 10 siblings were not raised in the area his daughter-in-law Bev Kelly said every school holidays the Kelly tribe visited Murwillumbah by train to see their relatives living in Lisnagar and Kynnumboon.

Enlisted with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in his late teens, Mr Kelly served time in the war before marrying his sweetheart Doreen Grogan and having five children.

Mr Kelly did not get his drivers licence until the ripe age of 50.

"Joe learned to drive under the dubious instructions of his soon to be son-in-law Peter Hilliard," Mrs Kelly said.

"Last October (at the age of 99) he qualified for another 2 years driving licence."

Mrs Kelly said if you asked her father-in-law how he was "you would invariably get the response not bad for an old bloke," she said.

He is well and truly retired in Sydney and enjoys a game of bowls and teaching his seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren about astronomy.